Thursday 18/10/07 Von Sudenfed, XX Teens, Chrome Hoof @ Heaven, London

As the queues develop outside Heaven tonight, the reality of quite how interesting tonight might just be hits home. Side by side, cyber-goth tech-head kids decked out in luminous attire, and old tweed-wearing specky 30 something Fall fans wait patiently to see Mark E Smith’s much talked about collaboration with German electro-rodents Mouse on Mars. The diversity of tonight’s crowd is as painfully dysfunctional (you can almost hear the older crowd tutting at the state of the beat hungry youths, between moaning about their flat pints of expensive lager etc) as Von Sudenfed should be on paper (MES - as we'll now call him - over grindy tech beats?), a possible musical disquiet that makes things all the more exciting. 

Sometimes it takes something to hate to bring a crowd together – and tonight’s live support certainly provide the perfect target. The mob handed prog/electro/disco troop Chrome Hoof bore their way through a mixture of instrumental and vocal meanderings, using a load of different instruments and time signatures, which, whilst maybe interesting on record, are tiresome live. Punchy brass sections, and fast accelerating riffs reminiscent of music from a cheesy action film are mixed with experimental, drawn-out beats that sit uncomfortably alongside the cacophony of instruments onstage. Chrome Hoof are certainly at their best when they go for a more hardcore tack, allow synths player to have a scream, and get grimey on the vocals. Shame this only happens once tonight.

XXteens had to change their name from Xeroxteens coz of copyright rubbish etc. Shame, as the old moniker suits this bad grainy photocopy of so many better bands down to a tee. Take lead-singer, Dirt Dog Cash, for example – his slurry, off-beat indecipherable mumblings are pretty reminiscent of a certain Mark E Smith, aren’t they? Is he not aware he is actually supporting Mr. Smith tonight, or is this a homage to the great man himself? Painful, either way. The rest of the band also do their best to be a bad “Star’s In Their Eyes” version of post-punk greatness, with a combination of twangy basslines and discordant guitars.